


free

by Vri



Category: Persona 3, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Help, I don't know what I'm doing, I mean it, Mentions of P3, P5R Spoilers, Spoilers, amnesiac!minato, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:47:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23793334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vri/pseuds/Vri
Summary: When the dream world was created, there was more of an effect than many might have realised. A soul, bound by the chains of humanity's wishes, was set free. After years and years, the Messiah opened his eyes.Spoilers for P5R's third semester. Seriously, don't read this if you don't want spoilers. We kick right off in spoiler land, so there's no threshold or anything of that sort. Don't want spoilers? This is your last warning.8 May edit: added more confidant perks.
Comments: 83
Kudos: 195





	1. 2 jan. "my name...it's..."

_..._

_......._

_Something was wrong._

_He couldn't tell what it was, not really._

_Images of bloody rain, of shadows in the streets, of a dazzlingly gold abomination towering over the masses, of a Trickster summoning a demon to defeat it._

_.............._

_And then..._

_..._

_And then the chains lifted._

* * *

"What do you think you're doing with her?!"

The body of Kasumi - no, of _Sumire_ Yoshizawa - was lifted off of the floor, only to be dropped into the Palace Ruler's arms. Into _Maruki's_ arms. To say that it had been a surprise would be a severe understatement. He'd been shocked. The man that had taught him so much about honing his mind, the dorky man that had gone on about snacks to try to lure him and his friends into therapy sessions. The man that had seemed so pure, so innocent, so... _normal_...had actually been the source of an incredible distortion. 

Akira never would have seen something like that coming, not ever.

"I have no intention of harming her," Maruki assured them lightly, and Akira knew that he really wouldn't hurt Sumire. Maruki was not evil. He was not a villain. He was probably telling the truth about it all being for everyone's happiness. And it was tempting. A year ago, Akira would have accepted the dream world as the real world. But with his new experiences, all of the things that he'd gone through with the Thieves, the fight against the God of Control - _especially_ that - he couldn't do it. While not exactly the same, he couldn't shake off the feeling that both instances, were he to have accepted either of those worlds, that they were eerily similar. A powerful deity manipulating the cognition of the masses. Good intentions or not, he couldn't let that happen. "It's in your best interest to leave now." Maruki was right. He and Akechi were exhausted, Maruki clearly wasn't going to let Sumire go without a fight...

They'd have to retreat for now.

Akira nodded sharply and turned away, speaking sharply and flatly. "Let's go, Crow. We can't get anything done like this."

Akechi didn't seem happy, but he complied. He probably knew that it'd be futile to attempt anything in their current state. So, with a huff and a glare, he stalked off next to Akira, muttering curses under his breath. It was almost entertaining, really, how incredibly different he was now than he was as the Detective Prince. In another world, in another time, Akira felt as though they could have been friends.

But that wasn't important.

The pair backtracked through the Palace, doing their best to avoid Shadows. While they'd be easy to fight, they were still tired. One of them was bound to slip up, and that would be an incredibly dangerous situation. Akira was the only one with healing skills, after all. So they slunk around corners and niches, slipping past the fights as best as they possibly could...but that was when something strange happened.

Well, not really. Akira _heard_ something weird happening. Akechi did, as well. It was kind of hard not to, though; it was clearly the sound of someone fighting Shadows. 

"Come on, let's go." Akechi hissed, trying to drag Akira towards the exit. "We don't have _time_ for this bullshit." 

Akira knew he was right. They had to get out of the Palace as quickly as possible so that they could figure out their next move. But at the same time, there was this strange tug in his heart, and he could have sworn he heard a voice in his head, telling him something. That was why he walked towards the source of the noise, almost as if in a trance, using his Third Eye to confirm his suspicions. There were indeed two Shadows fighting against a lone person...well, more like they were getting beaten by that person. He couldn't quite make out any features, of course, but that person seemed to have the same aura as the Velvet Room. "I need to go there." He muttered, breaking into a run. 

He heard a groan from beside him. Akechi. "You didn't have to follow me." 

It seemed as though Akechi had been about to respond with some cutting remark, but they then stumbled upon the Shadows, and he instead heard Akechi gasp quietly.

Akira could see why. First of all, someone fighting Shadows in a Palace who wasn't one of them was already enough of a surprise. But for that person to not have any Thief gear...it didn't seem like they were a Persona-user just because of that fact, and yet they were perfectly fine. More than fine, actually. Wielding a short sword like he'd held one all his life, this new person slipped underneath and around Shadows' attacks, cutting them down with unnatural ease. And that gun strapped to his hip...both of them had seen enough model guns to know that it was a clear fake. It seemed almost as though this person was suited specifically for the Metaverse, kind of like the Velvet Room attendants or even Jose, but with dark hair and a school uniform, he clearly _wasn't_. 

They didn't have any time to think about that, though; once the Shadows were defeated, that mysterious boy suddenly turned his blade on them, and Akira was met with the most intense stare he'd ever seen. Now that the boy had stopped moving, he was able to get a much better look at him, and it only confirmed his suspicions that _this was a human_. He was a bit shorter - okay, a _lot_ shorter - than Akira or Akechi, with dark blue hair swept over the right side of his face. _Kind of like a miniature Yusuke_. His eyes were a pale blue-grey, perhaps similar to the colour of a stormcloud. He wore a uniform for a school he didn't know, but there was a bright red armband around one sleeve - _S.E.E.S_ , it read. That, though, wasn't the most eye-catching thing. The thing that caught Akira's attention the most was a long yellow scarf, one that trailed behind him like some sort of train. It looked old and worn, and yet it was clearly well-taken care of.

Both boys were brought out of their musings when the blue-haired one spoke warily, voice surprisingly soft for someone who'd completely eviscerated Shadows without mercy. "Who are you?" His tone was flat, it was cold, it was wary. "You're not like those...things. Are you human?"

This...was going to take a while.

It turned out that the boy from the Palace was named Minato Arisato. It also turned out that his name was all he remembered about himself. Akechi had done a little bit of of searching and had found that the uniform he wore was from Gekkoukan High School in Iwatodai, but that's all that they'd been able to find out. He had been wearing a rather old-school pair of headphones as well as an MP3 player, which had struck Akira as a little odd. Those were very, very outdated, but when he was asked about it, Minato had just shrugged. Everything about him, similarly to how Morgana had been, was completely shrouded in mystery.

"So you're telling me that this Maruki person rewrote the world because he wanted to." Minato summarised the explanation that Akira and Akechi had given with the most deadpan stare. 

Akira took a deep breath. "I know it's not believable, but you have to tr-"

"Okay."

He blinked. "...what?"

Minato just shrugged. "I feel like I've heard weirder. Like...the moon turning green at midnight, or people turning into coffins. Or schools turning into towers of death. That kind of stuff. Someone rewriting the way the world runs doesn't seem that crazy."

Well. That was another unexpected turn of events. Not only did he believe them, but he believed them rather easily...

"Tell me, Arisato," Akechi began. "Does the word 'Persona' mean anything to you?"

Akira gasped, staring at Akechi. It was a reasonable question, yes, but to ask it so directly...

...well, he supposed that was the only way to actually do it.

"'Persona'?" He hummed quietly, and for some strange reason, his hand twitched towards the gun. "It sounds familiar."

Akechi and Akira shared a glance. Things had just gotten interesting.


	2. 3 jan. "thou hast acquired a new vow."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Palace exploration, some checking in on friends, and...new vows, but for a different person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys should see my notes for this chapter theyre literally just me screaming
> 
> actually no thats my notes for everything mm

They decided to go back into the Palace soon afterwards.

After all, Akira could fit in another visit after checking up on Morgana. It was still weird, really, to see how he'd turned into a human, but that wasn't important. What was important was the fact that Minato had insisted on accompanying them to the Palace, surprisingly vehement. While Akira hadn't been too keen on letting someone in, Akechi had shrugged and said, "He took care of himself just fine at first. I say the more manpower, the better."

It wasn't a bad point, really. Just the two of them really wasn't going to be easy, especially in a Palace with such high-level Shadows. Even in Kamoshida's Palace, there had been four people by the end of it. So an additional person, mysterious though he may be, would be an absolute boon.

He and Akechi decided it'd be best to just see Arisato's capabilities. They stuck close to the entrance, cruising around in search of Shadows, and they eventually found a few demonic teddy bears to shred into. They'd do perfectly.

"They're weak to fire," Akechi called, throwing a glance at Akira and Arisato. "Burn them to ashes!" Akira wasn't sure he could get used to that unflinchingly sadistic tone in Akechi's tone.

Akira was just about to reach up to his mask and call forth one of his Personas, but Arisato was faster. His left hand flew to the gun strapped to his hip, but instead of pointing it at the Shadows, he pointed it at _himself._ Akira gasped, right about to tell him to _stop, that's not how you use a gun,_ but then he heard the word that fell from Arisato's lips.

_"Persona."_

He pulled the trigger.

How? How could he summon a Persona without a mask? Actually, no, that wasn't what was important. _Why_ did he summon his Persona like that? By shooting himself in the head with a fake gun? Why did he not hesitate, not even for a second? Why did he know how to summon his Persona? Just...how? Why? What _was_ he?

Akira's frantic train of thought almost carried him away from the battlefield, and he almost missed how Arisato used his Persona. It was a metallic red body with tangle of robotic limbs and white hair and a lyre strapped to its back. A strange Persona, really. He wasn't sure how much it fit the boy. But he did manage to catch Arisato's murmur. The Persona's name.

"Orpheus Telos." He said simply, gesturing sharply to one of them. _"Ragnarok."_ Akira and Akechi shared a glance. Neither of them, it seemed, had heard of that spell before, but it seemed as though it was a powerful fire spell, similar to Agidyne, but even more intense. The poor teddy bear didn't stand a chance, and it went down with just that one hit. He turned on another one of the bears, once again decimating it with blazing fires. Akira was used to being close to fires; he'd fought alongside Ann ever since Kamoshida. But this was a completely different kind of thing. 

Akechi looked at Arisato with a strange sort of look in his eye. "Well," he said lightly. "That takes care of that. You're surprisingly capable."

Arisato simply slid that weird gun thing into its holster, seemingly entirely unaffected by the whole ordeal. "Should we go?" It was weird. Really, really, weird. He sounded way too accustomed to things like this. Fighting Shadows, Personas, all of it. 

On top of all of that, it seemed that Arisato, too, was a Wild Card. There were quite a few Personas at his beck and call, and Akira wasn't entirely unfamiliar with a few of them. He'd seen Attis once or twice, and there were a few others. But there were also a few others that he didn't recognise - Orpheus, of course. There was also a Thanatos, and strangely enough, a _Messiah_. That last one was strange. He was used to being able to see the arcanas of different Personas, but with that one, he didn't recognise the card. It was a weird feeling. He was also incredibly adept with his sword, of course, but they'd known that from the moment they'd come across him. 

"Okay," Akira said eventually, adjusting his gloves. "I think that's enough for today. Let's head back." Turning back, he started towards the entrance with Akechi following right behind him. After a couple of seconds, Arisato followed him as well, and they all exited the Palace.

* * *

Goro figured that things had taken a very, very interesting turn. It turned out that Kurusu wasn't the only other one besides himself to be able to summon multiple Personas. But this Arisato figure was so very strange. No gear, no mask, a strange way of calling forth his Personas. All of that...without any memories of who he was, of how he knew about Personas and Shadows.

He was relieved when Kurusu went off to go and check in on his friends. It gave him some time to talk with Arisato, after all. Kurusu might not have cared too much, but it would be better to know more about the extent of his ally's capabilities. So he gently took Arisato's wrist, briefly contemplating using his old "Detective Prince" facade, but casting that thought away after about a second. He'd already shown his caustic and sadistic side; pretending to be the Detective Prince wouldn't do anything. "I need to talk with you." He said flatly, giving Arisato a stare that offered no room for negotiation.

Arisato sighed. He seemed more bored than anything else, really, but he nodded silently. "Where to?" He asked, eyes coming up to meet Goro's own with a surprisingly-impenetrable stare. 

That was a good question. Goro thought for a while, eventually deciding on the diner in Yongen-Jaya. It was quiet, but not quiet enough to make their conversation heard to all present. Once they arrived, Goro went over to one of the booths, gesturing for Arisato to sit across from him.

"Tell me," he began immediately. "What do you know about Personas?"

Arisato studied the menu, and for a moment, it seemed as though he was ignoring Goro. Just as he was about to say something to grab the boy's attention, Arisato spoke. "Personas," he said simply, "are a face we wear as we go through worldly troubles." That was a standard answer. Goro was about to abandon his efforts to learn about Arisato before he heard him continue speaking. "Some are born from our own hearts, but others are formed in the Sea through the cognitions of humanity. Joker seems to gain new ones by talking to them, but you can also gain new Personas through other methods." He stopped talking, cocking his head to one side upon seeing Goro's surprised expression. "Did you not know? You feel the same as him."

He...felt the same...as Kurusu?

Ridiculous.

Goro scoffed, staring flatly at Arisato. "He and I are nothing alike. More importantly, how do you know that?"

Arisato just shrugged, but looked Goro in the eye with an odd expression. "I'm not sure. I might be able to recall, though, if I could receive my memories..."

How amusing. "So, I assume you're going to tell me to help you with that, and in exchange, you'll give me more information on Personas." He summarised, receiving a nod in response. "Well, I suppose. I believe I have a decent amount of information at my disposal, so I don't see that as an issue."

"So, it's a deal." Arisato was still looking at Goro quite strangely, and he was about to ask why, but then a voice echoed in his head.

_I am thou, thou art I. Thou hast acquired a new vow._

_It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity._

_With the birth of the **Universe** Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..._

Goro blinked. Stared at Arisato in confusion. He'd hung his head low so that his bangs overshadowed his features, but he could still hear what Arisato had said, perhaps not loudly, but definitely clearly. "Justice, huh..."

Well. That had been unexpected. Goro figured that things were about to get even more interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confidant Name: Minato Arisato  
> Confidant Arcana: Universe  
> Confidant Description: A mysterious boy met in Maruki's Palace. In exchange for more information about Personas, he asks for help to regain his lost memories.  
> Rank One: Basic Information - Allows Goro Akechi to recruit Personas.  
> Rank Two: Follow-Up: Chance of an additional attack if Goro Akechi fails to knock an opponent down.  
> Rank Three: Messiah's Words - If a negotiation fails, there is a chance to retry.  
> Rank Four: Bounties of the Universe - Allows Minato Arisato to perform fusion summonings (ie Dreamfest. Excludes Armageddon).  
> Rank Five: Harisen Recovery - Chance to cure party members of a status affliction.  
> Rank Six: Wisdom of the Universe - Allows Goro Akechi to perform minor fusions to gain new Personas.  
> Rank Seven: Blessing of the Universe - Allows Goro Akechi to perform major fusions to gain new Personas.  
> Rank Eight: Endure - Chance to survive an otherwise fatal attack with 1HP.  
> Rank Nine: Destruction of the Universe - Allows Minato Arisato to perform Armageddon, the fusion spell.  
> Rank Ten: Secrets of the Universe - ???
> 
> if anyone has any ideas for additional perks, lmk!!


	3. 4 jan. rank up: rank 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title should say it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha this is prooobably gonna be a short chapter buuuut
> 
> OKA Y SO i remember reading this fic a LONG TIME AGO about a youtuber au for p5 where akira is the fluffy haired cryptid and i dont remember what its called but i kind of want to do a similar thing for p3?? if ANYONE knows what its called, please tell me!!!
> 
> OH OH OH RIGHT BEFORE I FORGET. things are going to be VERY goro-centric due to the way ive accidentally set things up, what with his universe confidant. id just say to assume the next few chapters occur durinig the time when akira is going out and checking on his friends, since we all know how that goes down.

_Arisato Minato._

It couldn't hurt, really, to Google his name. Sure, it probably wouldn't help, but Goro figured that it was as good of a starting place as any when all he had was a name and school. Interestingly enough, he came across two interviews, one with a certain Mitsuru Kirijo, and the other with Yukari Takeba.

Interesting indeed. He clicked on the first one.

_"And tell me, Kirijo-san. Has there been anyone in your life whom you'd call an inspiration?" The interviewer asked, holding his microphone to the head of the Kirijo group._

_Kirijo smiled faintly, eyes distant for a moment as though she was thinking of something very, very far away. "Yes," she said softly. "Yes, there was an individual in my high school years. He was a year younger than me, but he had taught me a great many things. I'm very grateful to him."_

_The interviewer seemed interested in that question, leaning forward. "Kirijo-san, I must say, I'm surprised. I never would have thought that you'd have taken such a strong inspiration from an underclassman."_

_She chuckled along with him. "Yes, I suppose that might seem odd. But, truly..." she turned straight towards the camera, gaze piercing straight into Goro's as if she_ knew. _"Arisato - no,_ Minato _\- thank you."_

The interview lasted a few more minutes, but that left Goro reeling in shock. That name. _Minato Arisato._ A bit more searching confirmed that Mitsuru Kirijo, too, went to Gekkoukan High School. But...he frowned. She had graduated in March of 2010. Hurriedly, he clicked back to the video of Takeba. This was going to be a little odd, really, watching an interview of an actress in a show he liked not because of the show, but for his...other occupations. But that was irrelevant.

_"Takeba-san," A female interviewer this time. "You've gotten a lot of fan mail. Have you gotten any love confessions, perhaps?"_

_The actress in question blushed lightly, but she had enough stage presence to laugh it off. "Well, yeah. Celebrity crushes are pretty common, although it's kinda weird to think about myself as a celebrity." She shook her head. "But I never really had any, you know? I was always focused on...other things."_

_The interviewer chuckled as well, tossing some of her hair behind her shoulder. "Well, Takeba-san, care to share? I'm sure a lot of people would be interested in hearing about your taste in men!"_

_"Oh, I think you got it wrong!" Takeba waved her hands in the air, shaking her head. "No, I didn't mean I had other crushes! But, well, there was one guy. It was back in high school. He was in my grade, and he was just really...charming? I dunno. But Mi- uh, he was something special. I guess that's how love goes, though, doesn't it?"_

This one was a bit more...difficult. There was a comment from Takeba in the text where she admitted to the name 'Minato Arisato,' though. A quick search revealed Takeba to have also graduated from Gekkoukan High, but in 2011. Goro narrowed his eyes. Arisato couldn't have been older than him. His body, his voice, everything about him screamed that he was a teenager. But then, how could he have attended high school with those two if they graduated a decade earlier? It shouldn't be possible...

...but they did find him in a Palace. The Metaverse was a strange place.

Goro sighed. This wouldn't do. Arisato probably held the answers he was looking for in his memories. So he went through his contacts until he found Arisato.

**Goro Akechi: Hello? This is Akechi.**

**Minato Arisato: Hello.**

**Goro Akechi: There's something I wish to discuss with you. Are you free?**

**Minato Arisato: Sure.**

**Goro Akechi: Then, let us meet at the diner again. Can you get there by yourself?**

**Minato Arisato: Yes.**

It seemed as though Arisato was as talkative over text as he was in real life. Which was, of course, hardly at all. Goro made his way over to the diner without any difficulties - of course there wouldn't be any. This was Maruki's dream reality. Everything should be perfect. That thought twisted his mouth as he slid into one of the open booths, waiting for Arisato to come by so that he could share what he learned.

It didn't feel like much longer before before Arisato arrived. Honestly, though, he almost didn't notice the other boy; he was so quiet. "Thank you for coming to meet me," he started immediately, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "I believe I've found something about your memories."

That got Arisato's attention at once. The usual lethargy in his eyes and posture vanished completely, and he straightened up, clearly eager to see what Goro had found. "Please, watch these videos..."

Goro handed his phone, which was already set to the videos' webpages, over to Arisato. He watched very closely as the blue-haired mystery watched and listened to the videos - but, well, he didn't have to wait much. Almost immediately, Arisato dropped the phone on the table in shock, staring at the screen with wide eyes. "Mitsuru-senpai?" He mumbled to himself quietly, picking the phone back up with trembling hands. That video ended, and the next one - Takeba's interview - started, causing another gasp. "Yukari?" 

Arisato watched the video through to the end, handing the phone back to Goro rather shakily. "I-I..." he murmured, brows furrowed with confusion and recognition. "I know them. I _know_ them. We lived in the same dorm...I think." 

But that shouldn't have been possible. "Arisato," Goro frowned. "Kirijo graduated from Gekkoukan High in 2010, and Takeba in 2011."

He shook his head. "I know that these are my memories. I don't know anything else, though. Anyways, what did you want to know?"

Right. Their deal. "Ah, yes. Truth be told, I've been rather curious about people like you and Kurusu. Your ability to wield multiple Personas...do you know anything about it?" Goro finally decided on a question. After all, the fact that it wasn't only Kurusu who could do that...well, he'd assumed it to be a characteristic specific to Kurusu. But Arisato could do it, too, and that piqued his interest in the topic once again. 

A tilt of the head. "You mean the power of the Wild Card?" Arisato frowned lightly, leaning back in the booth. "That's odd...you should have been..." he mumbled to himself before shaking his head and raising his eyes to look back at Goro. "Anyways...there's an area called the Velvet Room. You might see Kurusu-kun walk over to a little corner in the Palace and stay still. That's because he's left to go into that Room, where he receives help with his Personas. Now, then, as to how Wild Cards are chosen...I'm pretty sure we are chosen by a deity called Philemon. I can't really talk too much about him, though." He pauses to take a drink of tea - when did he get that? - before continuing. "Anyways, um...ah, we usually receive powers from the bonds we forge with other people. They're usually called 'Social Links,' but they can also be called 'Confidants.'"

Bonds? And...links? Confidants? Could it be like that voice that he'd heard in the beginning, when he'd made a contract with Arisato? It was a strange thought. The idea that he could be like Kurusu...no, that was ridiculous. "I suppose that explains why Kurusu went all around the city, making friends." He commented, easily putting the pieces together. It was strange to think about. Was Kurusu only making those friends because it'd make his Personas stronger? Such a network of people would likely make it so that his Personas would be incredibly powerful. 

"That's what I did, as well." Arisato agreed simply before looking Goro straight in the eye. "Usually, those bonds are categorised through tarot cards."

Goro halted. "Arisato," he said carefully. "I'm not well-versed in tarot cards, but...would one of them happen to be the Fool?"

Arisato smiled mysteriously. "That is indeed one of them."

That meant...that could only mean one thing.

Goro really was a wild card.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rank up rank two yeehaw
> 
> ummmmmmm i was gonna post this a little bit ago but...eh.
> 
> also i was gonna say something but i forgot what it was rip


	4. 4 jan. wild card

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato and Goro just talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaaaaaa i hate online schooling T-T
> 
> you guys have been so supportive and im??? askbrkjesidegkdkesdjargrglkjaegflkjlbk i dont k n o w jfhjgd thank you guys so much like holy shit lsdfn
> 
> also yall if you saw my notes "let's just see how this goes" im dead

Wild Card. 

He was a Wild Card.

He was just like Kurusu.

...

Goro didn't know how to feel about it. He laid on his back in bed, staring up at his ceiling in the waning light. So he could theoretically recruit Shadows, just as Kurusu. He'd seen it happen, of course. He'd seen Kurusu approach cornered Shadows and exchange words with them, seen them dissolve into notes of light that swirled into Joker's mask. Seen Kurusu summon that very same Shadow, but address it by a different name and command it as though it had always been a part of him.

How could he, Goro Akechi, someone so totally empty inside, be just like Kurusu?

The justice that had been Robin Hood was a farce. The hatred towards Shido that was Loki had no target anymore. He was never the Detective Prince, but now that he was no longer the Black Mask, what was he?

"Empty," Arisato's voice cut through his thoughts. Ah, yes, he'd brought Arisato to his house so that they could talk more in-depth without drawing any attention from the patrons. And yet, Goro had been so lost in his thoughts that he'd completely forgotten about Arisato's presence. "Wild Cards are always empty. We start as the Fool - the number zero. Empty, but holding infinite possibilities." 

The number zero. Empty, like he'd figured. But that thing that Arisato had said about infinite possibilities...he hadn't thought of it like that. It was true enough. There was nothing that couldn't be added to the number zero, and it could subsequently become any number because of that quality. And while that was technically true of any number, the other numbers already had their own values, whereas zero was...well, zero was zero.

An interesting way of thinking about it.

Goro turned over in his bed so that he could face Arisato, raising an eyebrow. "Is that something you heard from the Velvet Room?"

Arisato tilted his head, fixing Goro with an owlish stare in silence. It took him a long time to answer the question. "I don't know."

Okay, fair enough.

Arisato spoke up again. "Tell me about Kurusu-kun." He said softly, encouragingly. "What is he like?"

What Kurusu was like...? 

He was perfect. The kind of person that drew everyone and everything into him. He was smart enough to charm the pants off of anyone, brave enough to say whatever he wanted to say, dexterous enough to impress those around him, and kind enough for people to feel completely safe around him. He was everything that Goro ever wanted to be. And yet there was always something _wrong._ It never really felt like Kurusu. Perhaps the one they saw in the Palaces - Joker - was the closest to the real Kurusu than anything else he'd ever witnessed. And yet he wasn't sure.

"I don't know." He finally settled on that answer, shaking his head. "He seems to oscillate between multiple different...facets...of himself..." Goro trailed off. Everything was clicking into place. Personas. Masks. Different personalities. Facets. Detective Prince. Black Mask.

He caught Arisato's small smile out of the corner of his eye. "Get it now?" He said softly, leaning his chin into his palm with a serene expression. "You've always had that potential within you."

* * *

Akechi had let him go. 

It was weird. He _knew_ for sure that he had gone to school with Mitsuru Kirijo and Yukari Takeba. He knew. He could see them, clear as day, lounging on the couches with...with...

Minato ground his teeth in frustration. He looked up at the Palace with a pensive stare, eyes narrowing in thought. If the Palace's ruler could alter cognition, then maybe...he shook his head. He had a deal with Akechi. And even if this Maruki person could bring his memories back, he didn't know what the consequences could be. For now, he'd have to place his trust in the brunet. The Wild Card.

To be honest, Minato didn't know _how_ he knew what he knew, just like he didn't know how he knew how to manipulate the tarot cards safely stashed away in his pocket. The other day, he'd been idly doing something with a couple of Personas he'd gotten from Shuffle Time during his stay in the Palace. And when he was done, there lay a new card before him, one for a new Persona. Siegfried. How he'd known how to make him, how he even had the power to do that in the first place...flashes of deep blue surfaced in his mind. Blue gloved hands that he'd watched intently. Patterns that, out of curiosity, he'd committed to memory. He didn't know why, but perhaps it would be...useful. Yes, it might be useful.

Akechi was interesting. He hadn't been aware of his status as a Wild Card, and it seemed as though he'd never even heard of the Velvet Room. That felt...strange to him. He'd heard about Yaldabaoth and figured that the demiurge had something to do with things, but _still_ , that was just so strange. But Minato felt that he could answer any questions that Akechi had. He didn't know why; he just _could._ But then again, that was the nature of their deal. Give Akechi the information he wants, and Akechi gives him the _why._

Perhaps he should take Akechi to the Palace while Kurusu was out talking to his friends. Whether it be by Shuffle Time or by speaking with the Shadows, Minato wanted to see if Akechi really could recruit new Personas. If so, their relationship would take a very, very new turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so like. i honestly had no plan for this chapter. i just wanted to continue this because i have something planned for the end and uGHHH I WANT TO DO IT SO B A D
> 
> but i think i managed to put myself in an okay spot for the next chapter! im sorry this one was short, but hopefully the next one will make up for it QwQ


	5. 5 jan. apathy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goro and Minato try something new and come across an unexpected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO FIRST THiNGS FIRST IM NOT DEAD
> 
> basically, what happened was i got suuuuper caught up in a flood of japanese homework. and then once i finished that, i realised "oh SHIT, mothers day!" and decided to be big brain and make cards for all of my family (seven cards, five of which are shipped). and i finished those yesterday, so here i am!!
> 
> i also get caught up with modding an amino, but im actually stepping down in a couple of weeks. ill still be there, though, so if anyone is interested in roleplaying and that sort of thing, message me (or however ao3 does things) and ill shoot you a link!!

Goro woke up to his phone buzzing at six in the morning.

 **Minato Arisato: Are you** **free?**

Well, now. He couldn't say that he wasn't expecting Arisato to contact him, because it was going to happen eventually. After all, Arisato was a Wild Card - it'd only make sense for him to want to figure out the extent of Goro's powers.

But _six in the morning?_

**Goro Akechi: Why aren't you asleep?**

**Minato Arisato: I'm used to being woken up at exactly 5:55 in the morning.**

**Goro Akechi: Why?**

**Minato Arisato: ...**

**Minato Arisato: I don't know.**

**Minato Arisato: That doesn't answer my question, though.**

**Goro Akechi: Where do you want to go?**

**Minato Arisato: The Palace.**

That...he should have expected that. 

**Goro Akechi: Very well, but I'd like to go in the afternoon. I'll be more alert, and I'd like to do a little more searching for your memories.**

**Minato Arisato: Fair enough. How's 3?**

**Goro Akechi: I'll be there.**

No incoming messages. After a couple of minutes, Goro figured that Arisato was just doing his own thing, so he shut his phone off and dragged himself over to his laptop. He was awake now, so he might as well do a little bit of digging.

Searching "Gekkoukan High School" really didn't do a lot. Goro hadn't expected it to, in all honesty; it was still worth trying. Drumming his fingers against the table, he eventually searched for "Iwatodai 2009 news." Immediately, there was something strange about it. _Apathy Syndrome?_ Frowning, Goro - now completely awake - scrolled through the different articles. They all said more or less the same thing. A strange anomaly had swept through the small city, one where victims would simply stop functioning for no apparent reason. Their vitals would be fine, but they would simply be...husks. There wasn't anything that connected the victims themselves, but the incidents seemed to spike in April of 2009, only to suddenly flatten around full moons.

This, he felt, would be something good to bring up. Perhaps not now, when they were focused on Goro's being a Wild Card and all, but later on. Goro filed the information into the back of his mind as he stands up and stretched so that he could get some food. After all, energy for the Palace would be very important.

Two fifty-five, and Goro saw Arisato approaching the Palace. 

"You're early." Arisato quipped - or, at least, Goro was pretty sure he was joking. His deadpan delivery and expression really made it difficult to tell sometimes. "Shall we go?"

Goro nodded. "Let's not waste any time with chatter." He replied brusquely, sweeping past Arisato and through the doors of the Palace, where his clothes promptly changed from his olive coat and black pants to Loki's black and white...whatever it was. Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Arisato enter as well, although he lacked any blue fire and change of clothes. "So, you wanted to come here to test my Wild Card abilities, didn't you?"

Arisato hummed, hands in his pockets as though he was without a care in the world. _Annoying._ "Yeah," he replied lightly. "I wanna see if you really are one."

Silence fell between the pair of them as they went through the Palace. Strangely enough, Arisato took the lead, seeming all too similar to Kurusu in how easy it was to defer to him. Yes, _strange_ was definitely the best way to put it. Goro pondered that for a while as they hunted down Shadows - quite a different endeavour than the usual slinking in the shadows to _avoid_ them. And yet it seemed to be business as usual for Arisato...like he was used to searching for Shadows.

Goro knew better than to ask, though, no matter how curious he was about it.

It didn't take too long for them to find a Shadow. Arisato didn't really have the acrobatics necessary to pull of Joker's usual ambush, so he went for something significantly less show-off-y and simply attacked the Shadow head-on, using the tip of his sabre to knock the mask off of its face.

"Remember. We're not aiming to kill it. We're just going to knock it down." Arisato gave Goro a cool stare. Hopefully, Goro wouldn't kill it on accident...

Thankfully, the Shadow seemed to be weak to wind, which Goro had no access to. A Garudyne from Arisato knocked it to its feet, and it was there that Goro wasn't really sure to proceed. The Chimera was right there, and Goro could tell that it seemed to be pretty cheerful. A glance at Arisato didn't help at all - the blue-haired boy just shrugged and gestured for Goro to get over there and talk.

Goro tried. He really did. And after a little bit of talking, he was pleasantly surprised when the Chimera realised what it was and dissolved into light. Immediately, he felt a new presence enter his mind, and he shivered. It was...it wasn't uncomfortable, not really, but it was certainly strange and something he'd have to get used to. But the novelty of having a new Persona was nothing compared to looking up and seeing a proud smile on Arisato's face for a split second. He blinked, and it was gone, but Goro couldn't have possibly imagined the warmth in Arisato's voice as he spoke. "Good job."

The unexpected praise made Goro...it made him happy. It really did. He was just about to say something when Arisato's face went cold. Goro turned back, and he could feel his own face twist into a scowl upon seeing who Arisato had.

Takuto Maruki. Oh, how fucking wonderful. "Fancy seeing you here," Goro snapped, not even trying to hide the overt hatred in his tone. Actually, one might even think that he was trying to make sure Maruki noticed it. "Come to kidnap another one of us?"

Maruki ignored Goro for the most part, turning his gaze onto Arisato. "You..." he frowned in confusion. "I don't think I recognise you. You're not one of the Thieves, are you?"

To his credit, Arisato just lifted one shoulder in a lazy half-shrug. "Doesn't matter. Akechi, this the person?" Goro couldn't help but snicker at the blatant disregard of Maruki in Arisato's tone as he looked at Goro for confirmation.

"Yes." Goro nodded his affirmation, going back to glaring daggers at Maruki. "This person is the Palace ruler and the one who created this _disgusting_ world." He relished the way that Maruki's features twisted with that remark.

Arisato hummed. "Then," he began, "would you kindly fuck off and let us do our thing? We're not looking for you, so..." 

Wait.

Did that just happen?

Did Minato Arisato, the quiet amnesiac kid who seemed demure enough to revive a fly, just tell Takuto Maruki, the ruler of the Palace, a person with powers that could literally reshape reality, to _fuck off?_

Well, shit. It looked like Arisato was more than just a powerful Persona-user.

Maruki, too, seemed pretty surprised by that request, completely unable to come up with some sort of response to that. Goro smirked. "Well, you heard him. Get lost."

* * *

Minato went around the area after he and Akechi left the Palace. So, it seemed that the dude in the lab coat with slicked-back hair was the one responsible for...everything. The Councillor arcana...he wasn't familiar with it. It was annoying, really, all of these things stacking up. Being dumped in a fake world with no memories of himself, but knowing almost everything there was to know about the strange monsters that came out of him, only to find out that what he _didn't_ know was also in play.

He sighed and looked around for a takoyaki stand. He found one eventually, tucked away in some remote corner. 

Not as good as the ones he ate with...

...

He sighed. Shook his head. This wasn't going anywhere. He was hoping that Akechi could come by and bring him more information about whatever, because for whatever reason, that brunet seemed to be the key to unlocking what had been lost. 

Minato eventually stumbled upon...Kurusu, he was pretty sure, talking to one of his friends. It wasn't really important to him, if he was completely honest, but if Kurusu's friends realising the truth would help...

Brushing past them, Minato mumbled one thing for Kurusu's friend to hear.

_"Wake up."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my notes are slowly devolving into incoherence help


	6. 6 jan. rank up: rank 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato talks to everyone, man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi hello why am i suddenly wanting to make a chatfic in this au hahah
> 
> ALSO I KINDA WANNA DO MINAKE BUT THEN THAT MIGHT BE A SLOW BURN AND IM AN IMPATIENT LITTLE-

Goro spent the night researching Apathy Syndrome. It wasn't an easy thing to search, though, given that everything was from a long time ago, and everything mostly said the same thing. No known causes, a sudden disappearance after the year turned, all of that...it definitely wasn't a cakewalk. There was something about the disappearance of a cult around the same time, and while Goro filed that information away for a later date, that didn't seem too related to a phenomenon that caused people to completely become husks, unresponsive to literally anything. 

Eventually, Goro closed his laptop, deciding to just share what little information he had with Arisato about Apathy Syndrome. Sure, it might not be directly related, but something as inexplicable as that...it was rather likely that the Metaverse had something to do with it, one way or another, and anything dealing with the Metaverse in Iwatodai at that time was probably related to Arisato in some fashion. After all, if Mementos only existed in Tokyo, whatever Arisato had faced was probably limited to Iwatodai, so anything weird happening there was...suspicious, to say the least.

He flopped back in his futon, staring at the dark ceiling. Arisato...Goro couldn't help but feel at least a little curious as to the boy's origins. Sure, his little period as the Detective Prince had all been due to Shido, but he _had_ enjoyed detective work, and he did like his fair share of mysteries. And Arisato was, without a doubt, a fascinating mystery. The thought of unveiling Arisato's past made it difficult to sleep, but eventually, Goro managed to drift off into slumber.

_Goro opened his eyes in empty space. Panicked, he thought that everything had been a dream, but then he remembered that he was in a dream reality anyways. He looked around, raising his eyebrows - it was certainly beautiful, he supposed, the glittering expanse of...stars? around him. Almost as if he was immersed in the galaxy._

_A brighter light, far brighter than the dim "stars" drifting about him, caught his eye, and, without even realising it, Goro drifted towards the light._

_It was incredible. Terrifying, but incredible. It radiated pure power, and Goro couldn't help but wonder what was keeping such a thing in check. As if to respond to his wondering, a golden gate came into view._

_It was all barbed wire and chains, converging around a central...body? Goro wasn't sure. But the closer he got, he felt as though it felt...familiar. He could almost hear a whisper around him, a name, but before he could try to work it out, everything faded to black once more._

Goro woke with a start. Sitting up in his futon, he stared blearily out the window, seeing that it was just barely light. _Well, at least I made it through to dawn._ He thought wryly to himself, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes. It was already light out; no reason in trying to go back to sleep. He eventually stood up to go and take a shower, and as the water ran through his hair, Goro pondered the strange dream he'd had. Where had he been? What had that orb of light been? Why was it so powerful? What was that gate? Why did it feel so familiar?

_"I will...ne...r...ve you..."_

It had sounded like a song, now that Goro really thought about it in a more awake state. But he still couldn't recall what exactly had been said. Dismissing that, Goro tried to focus on that weird golden figure. He felt the answer at the cusp of his mind, but he couldn't _reach_ it, and that pissed him off more than anything else.

With a huff, Goro shut the water off and dried himself, throwing some clothes on as he decided that today was as good a day as any to talk to Arisato. Kurusu was still talking to his friends, after all, and he didn't really have anything to do outside of talk to Arisato. So, after fixing his tie, he reached for his phone and texted that strange blue-haired boy.

**Goro Akechi: Are you free today?  
**

**Minato Arisato: What do you think?**

Oh, fun. He'd grown a little cheek.

**Goro Akechi: Answer the question. I don't have time for this.**

**Minato Arisato: That's a lie.**

Goro narrowed his eyes, prepared to type out an even angrier response to the absolute _gall-_

**Minato Arisato: But I am.**

**Minato Arisato: I assume you want to talk. Where?**

**Goro Akechi: Do you know where Cafe Leblanc is?**

**Minato Arisato: I can search for it.**

**Goro Akechi: Very well. Go there whenever you can. I have something in regards to your memories.**

**Minato Arisato: I see.**

**Minato Arisato: Thank you.**

That...that had been unexpected. The small show of gratitude left Goro blinking down at his phone in shock for at least an entire minute before he shook his head and slipped the blasted thing into his pocket. Something that small shouldn't have made him so surprised, so why...it was perfectly understandable for Arisato to thank him; after all, Goro was helping him recover lost memories, but _still,_ it was surprising. For some reason.

Whatever. It didn't matter. Goro roughly opened the door to step outside, only just barely remembering not to slam it shut so as not to disturb anyone. He left for Leblanc, wondering how long it would take Arisato to find the rather hidden cafe. He nodded a greeting to Sakura, plastering a smile on his face as he asked for a coffee. He may have had no more reason to pretend to be the Detective Prince anymore, but he wasn't sure how much the cafe's owner knew. He might as well stay in character while it was just them - and if he could get a free coffee out of it, he wasn't complaining. Not at all.

Arisato must have been rather experienced in navigating areas, because it really didn't take him that long to find Leblanc. Goro had only finished his first coffee when the bells sang the door's opening, and the shorter boy walked inside, looking around with that impassive expression of his.

"Friend of the kid's?" Sakura. He'd noticed how Goro had gotten up, eyes on Arisato. "Well, feel free to use the attic. I don't think Akira'll mind too much."

Goro nodded, thanking Sakura for the coffee before bringing Arisato up to the attic. "This," he said lowly, "is the Phantom Thieves' hideout. It also happens to be where Kurusu lives."

The introduction to the area was met with silence. _Then again, what should I expect? It's Arisato, for God's sake._ Speaking of whom, Arisato looked around the room in a fashion not dissimilar to how he'd examined Leblanc's cafe area. But then Arisato's eyes fell upon something in the room, and his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Why is there a chocolate fountain here?"

Numbly, Goro registered that Arisato was, in fact, correct. In the corner of the room was, inexplicably, a _chocolate fountain._ And it wasn't anything small, either; that thing went up to Goro's _waist._ Kurusu had various strange things in his room, but really, a chocolate fountain was..."I have no idea. Ask Kurusu yourself."

That earned Goro a small huff as Arisato seated himself on the tiny couch on the side of the room, turning expectant silver eyes onto him.

Goro sighed, eventually deciding to pull the chair from the back of the room to the centre so that he could properly face Arisato while he was speaking. "I did a bit of research on Iwatodai, and I found something about an 'Apathy Syndrome.' Does it happen to ring any bells for you?" He figured that it was best to get straight to the point with these things. After all, what was the point in dillydallying, especially when that was _the entire reason he'd called Arisato out in the first place?_ "It was extremely prevalent in Iwatodai, mainly in 2009. However, it basically completely disappeared in 2010, without a single case after the new year."

Arisato pondered for a little bit. Closed his eyes, made a little humming sound, crossed and uncrossed his legs a few times. Eventually, he looked back up at Goro with an almost _haunted_ expression. "Yes," he said tersely. "I remember it. That...the end. People wished for death, and that..." he frowned. It seemed as though he was trying to continue, but he couldn't quite come up with the words. "No, that's not...it was caused by Shadows. Large Shadows...we'd fight them on the full moons."

He was right. Of course he was - Apathy Syndrome being related to Personas and Shadows and that sort...it was the only logical explanation as to why something like that would ever happen. But, well, now, there was something more important to discuss. After all, Goro had upheld his end of the bargain. It was time for Arisato to honour his. "Now, tell me more about Personas."

"Hmm..." Arisato tilted his head as if to consider what to say. "I mean, I guess yesterday doesn't count..." he mumbled to himself, frowning. "I didn't tell you anything yesterday, so I guess we'll be even when I tell you something, huh."

"So, I guess I'll go back to the topic of the Velvet Room. Basically, it's a place where Wild Cards can go to if they need something - generally Persona fusions, but there are also itemisations and that sort of thing." Arisato started, holding a hand up to halt the questions that Goro immediately had. "Persona fusions are a pretty easy concept to grasp. Fuse two or more Personas to get a different, more powerful Persona. Simple enough. There are all sorts of weird inheritance rules and things like that based on Arcana, but that's not important right now. Itemisations are basically turning Personas into items, as the name implies, but it's specifically weapons. They'll generally create weapons with special qualities, and they can be pretty handy sometimes." Arisato took a deep breath, releasing it before finally allowing Goro to talk. "Any questions?"

Goro pounced on the chance. "How exactly do Persona fusions work? And are you capable of performing them?"

Arisato just hummed again. "They're done with tarot cards - at least, they were for me - and a little bit of...well, I'm not actually sure, but not everyone can do them. And I can do them, sort of, but I'm not very good at it. If you're going to ask me to fuse your Personas, by the way, I can't. Personas are a reflection of you. Unless you're willing to allow me to reach into the depths of your heart and transform those entities into something else, it doesn't matter how good I am at fusions. I won't be able to do them for you."

Well, damn, there went that plan. He hardly knew Arisato. He wasn't planning on letting the boy peer and reach into the _very depths of his soul,_ no matter how much power it could get him. Sighing in defeat, Goro nodded in understanding. "I see...that's unfortunate."

He almost didn't catch Arisato's cryptic smile as he spoke again. "You never know what the future may hold."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rank three rank three rank thr-
> 
> ok but if anyone has any ideas for an akira/minato confidant,,,lmk how yall think it would start! i dont have a deal in mind for them since minato is already receiving help with his memories from goro, and there isn't really,,,anything else he could need???


	7. 7 jan. justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato and Akira talk.
> 
> Minato gets a big fat fuCKING SENSE of deja vu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUDKSJDFSHDLFJHGSLDIFGLSYDGLKSDFKLUHWEKFJHDKSFK>JSJD>KJAJ I PROMISE IM NOT DEAD
> 
> so a few things have been happening. obv corona bullshit, but mainly just stuff happening that's been kind of draining at my inspiration to do anything really. theres some stuff thats been going on mentally, but dont worry! im okay, and im back! lol.
> 
> school's over, so im hoping that ill be even freer to think up more material! this is a chapter that i wanted to use to give akira a little bit more characterisation here, because ive mainly been focusing on goro and minato. im sorry if it feels like filler (it kinda is too), but i promise i have some sort of goal here! xD
> 
> tbh, the main reason i started this fic is because of what i have planned for its end. i basically went about this end- beginning-middle, which is kind of stupid, but i cant help it when this clear mental image is presented to me QwQ
> 
> also, please forgive the potentially-fragmented portrayal of the third semester. i dont own a playstation, so i cant actually play the game. i did, however, watch a playthrough, so i know what the spoilers and general plot are. its a bit of a late apology, but since im slowly approaching the end of the week where akira goes around talking to his friends, i need to get this out of the way before its too late. im watching and rewatching more clips to try and get the best understanding i can of this part of the game. so please bear with me! o(>~<)o

Minato sat at the counter of Leblanc, fiddling with his MP3 player and staring off out the window. Akechi hadn't contacted him all that day, so he'd figured that it was a good idea to see what kind of a person that the leader of the Thieves was with his own two eyes. Yes, he had a vague idea, but he wanted to know more. So he simply waited, watching. Watching for the moment when Akira Kurusu would come home from wherever he'd been in Tokyo, talking to his friends.

It took a while. Minato understood, of course. It was boring to just stay home and do nothing, so Kurusu was probably out doing things in Tokyo. Well, whatever. He had time to kill.

His gaze drifted from the window to the owner of the cafe: Sojiro Sakura, busy doing his own thing off in the kitchen area. The man who'd taken Kurusu in for his year of probation in Tokyo, the adoptive father of one of Kurusu's friends, and an apparent father figure of sorts in Kurusu's life, the Hierophant. It wasn't hard to imagine that Sakura was one of Kurusu's social links, considering that Kurusu literally lived with the man. He hadn't noticed Minato come in because he'd been in the kitchen, so when he came out, he took a double take upon seeing the blue-haired boy.

"A friend of the kid's?" Sakura's voice, while gruff, was warm and almost fatherly. It almost brought a small smile to Minato's face. Almost.

He shook his head. "We have a mutual friend." He replied, tilting his head to one side. "But I'd like to be able to get to know him better."

Sakura smirked a little, wiping down some coffee cups. "Well, he should be coming over sometime soon. In the meantime, though, can I get you anything?"

Ah, yes, this was a cafe. It'd be rude to loiter here without at least ordering something. After studying the menu, Minato raised two fingers. "I think I'd like two orders of curry." He requested mildly, unfazed by the somewhat surprised look that Sakura gave him. He was used to how people looked critically over his small stature as Sakura was doing. "I'll be able to finish it."

While the cafe owner still looked dubious, he shrugged. "I'll get your curry, then." Stepping back into the kitchen, Sakura took two plates, put two scoops of rice onto each plate, and then two scoops of curry next to each bit of rice. "Here you go," Sakura placed the two plates in front of Minato, still giving him a rather doubtful stare. "Enjoy."

"Thank you for the food." Minato mumbled before picking his spoon up and starting on the curry.

Sakura watched in utter disbelief as the curry quite nearly _disappeared_. Minato didn't mind him, though - the curry was his only focus. Spicy and rich, it was good enough to compete with a curry that he'd had-

...

Minato set down his near-empty second plate with a confused furrow in his brow. He'd...been on the cusp of something, hadn't he? He'd nearly remembered something. Something about someone. 

He sighed. This train of thought, as time had told, was going to take him absolutely nowhere. He just finished off his last plate, murmuring another thanks afterwards and reaching for his wallet. 

Sakura, however, seemed to have other ideas. "Whoa, whoa. Relax. You're here for the kid, and honestly, knowing him? He gets along with everyone. I don't make the kid's friends pay, and as far as I know, you're _gonna_ be one of the kid's friends."

"But-" Minato was about to protest when he saw, out of the corner of his eye, a head of frizzy black hair approaching the door of Leblanc. Kurusu. With a sigh, Minato shut his mouth, silently allowing Sakura to take the plates.

The door to Leblanc opened, and Kurusu stepped in, eyes immediately falling to Minato with a half-confused, half-interested look. "...Arisato-san?" He said tentatively, very obviously unsure as to why Minato was there. "Is something happening?"

Minato simply shook his head. "I just wanted to talk to you."

Apparently, Kurusu thought that it had something to do directly with Maruki and the Metaverse, so he simply nodded. "Let's go to my room."

The two of them sat in the attic of Leblanc, Kurusu on his bed and Minato on the couch. "So," Kurusu prompted, "what did you want to talk to me about?"

Minato just stared at him with a curious look, taking his sweet time to respond. "I wanted to get to know the leader of the Phantom Thieves."

Interestingly enough, Kurusu raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Whoa, now, Arisato-san," he teased, mischief dancing in his eyes behind his glasses. "Fallen in love with me already? I'm flattered!"

Oh, god. Minato groaned to himself. He was one of those. Not exactly Minato's cup of tea, but he could understand how people would be drawn to him. "Ha, ha. I don't think I can synergise with someone that I don't know." He replied dryly, giving Kurusu a flat stare. 

The smirk faded and morphed into a little pout. "You're just like a less-aggressive Akechi. He never takes my jokes." He sighed, putting on a very woe-is-me facade. "I'm so hurt."

Minato just snorted and rolled his eyes, understanding exactly what it is that Kurusu is saying. "Akechi is very...serious." He replied a bit vaguely, not entirely sure how else to say it. "Doesn't seem to be the kind of person to take those dumb jokes."

That seemed to catch Kurusu's attention, and he gave Minato a curious look. "Oh, you've been talking with Akechi?" He asked, and while Minato felt as though Kurusu was deflecting attention from himself, a conversation is a conversation. He couldn't just ask Kurusu for all of his life's secrets in their second-technically-first meeting. "How has that been going? I hope that he hasn't said anything too psychotic."

"No, not really. Akechi and I...have made a sort of deal." He responded, shrugging. "It's mostly been about that."

Kurusu raised an eyebrow, seeming intrigued by the presence of a deal, but apparently deciding not to comment on it. "Huh, I'm surprised. I mean, you saw him in the Palace, right? He was totally psycho."

He wasn't wrong. Akechi had seemed very keen on ripping the Shadows to shreds, outwardly wondering what the best way to finish them off was. "I've been wondering about that." Minato said softly, making perfect eye contact with Kurusu. "That sort of thing just doesn't seem normal. Is there anything that you can tell me about that?"

"Yikes." Kurusu winced. "Right down to the heavy stuff. A lot of it is stuff I can't tell you - that's Akechi's story to tell. But I can talk about what happened with me."

And so began the tale of how Kurusu met Akechi. A harmless enough meeting at a TV station, one that sparked a fun rivalry between thief and detective. More meet-ups at a jazz club, a cafe, a bunch of things...only for it all to be changed when the truth about Akechi was revealed. A plan foiled by another plan, a lot of things happening, all of it ending in a cruise ship and a revealed lust for revenge and an explosion.

Revenge...that sparked something. Minato remembered something about a gunshot and a pool of blood...but that was all. He couldn't remember anything else except for a heart-rending feeling of...guilt? Grief? Something like that. "I...I see." He mumbled, both to Kurusu and to himself. "Thank you."

What happened next was something that Minato didn't expect. Kurusu got up and...patted Minato on the head? "Don't be _too_ disillusioned with Akechi," he said, and _oh,_ that was why so many people gravitated towards him. He had an impeccable grasp on the situation around him and knew what to say. "He's not a terrible person. He's scary, and he definitely has work to do. But if he was a terrible person, then he would have let me and my friends die on that ship."

"Huh?" Minato blinked, the pat jolting him out of his reverie. "Oh...yeah. Thanks." He mumbled, mind drifting once again to that fragment of a memory. 

Oh, well. That wasn't going to go anywhere.

"Oh, by the way, Kurusu." Minato said suddenly, a little something sparkling in his one visible eye.

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me why there's a chocolate fountain in your room?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ngl i was watching a TRO (The Right Opinion) video and his voice was lowkey making me fall asleep while writing soooo yes


	8. 8 jan. rank up: rank 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another talk.
> 
> vulnerability isn't always bad.
> 
> also, yukari.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a month later im bacK
> 
> ive been playing so much magireco lately like holy shit ive fallen back into the madoka magica franchise AaaaAAAAAaaAAAAAAA

Minato noticed that he and Akechi talked a lot.

Like...a lot a lot.

It wasn't as though he minded - he actually found the other to be pretty interesting, considering that he wasn't anything like Kurusu in any way, shape, or form. And, well, something told him that Akechi was an irregularity for a Wild Card. He wasn't sure why he knew that (then again, he wasn't sure why he knew _anything._ These lost memories were really becoming irritating), but he just did. Whenever he heard or thought of the term, there were always the slightest flashes. Some of the memories felt like his - green light, blood, a tower, the Evokers. Some of them felt like things he'd simply watched: cards, a television, fog; masks, fire, a gleaming chalice.

All with a Wild Card in their midst.

He didn't know what they meant, of course, but at least Akechi was helping him with his memories so that he could hopefully at least make sense of the things he saw and felt in his dreams.

Speaking of whom...

"Why did you call me here?" Akechi looked positively bored, chin resting in the palm of one of his hands as he leaned on the table, raising an eyebrow at Minato. "You've been staring at the table for _ten minutes._ I'm going to leave if you don't have anything important to say."

Ah, yes, that was right. Minato had called Akechi over so that he could talk about his conversation with Kurusu the other day, but he'd gotten so lost in thought. "Sorry." He shook his head. "Was just thinking about something."

Akechi didn't seem too satisfied with that, only glaring at him. "I said," he prompted (only a _little_ irritably), "why did you call me here?"

Minato sighed quietly. _So impatient._ "I talked with Kurusu-kun the other day." He said simply, lacing his fingers together on top of the table. "He said something interesting." A pause. "About you."

"What did he say that was so interesting?" Akechi asked dryly, still seeming completely and utterly bored with the topic of conversation. "If it's about the time that I tried to s-"

Having no idea what Akechi was talking about, Minato had half a mind to let him keep talking, but he eventually waved it off, shaking his head. "We were talking about your overall personality."

That...seemed to surprise Akechi, just a little. As his eyes widened from the initial shock, Akechi leaned back in his seat, assuming a less bored posture for a slightly more actively-engaged one. "Were you, now?" He murmured, and for a second, Minato wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or not. "And what did he say? That I'm some horrible, two-faced demon who can't be trusted? Or some pitiful little child who needs to be looked after every second of the day?" Derision was clear in his voice, sharper than any knife that Kurusu could have ever hoped to wield.

"Actually, no, he didn't say anything like that." Minato's expression remained deceptively neutral, managing to hide his piqued curiosity about what had led Akechi to either of those conclusions. "He said that you're a good person, but...a lot of problems you have are because of your past."

Again, more shock. But Akechi managed to recover from that one a little more quickly, and the surprise in his eyes quickly melted into irritation. "Ah, yes," he said, tone laced with more than enough poison to fell an elephant. "Takes a real genius to figure that one out, huh. So, tell me, Arisato, what of my oh-so _tragic backstory_ did he tell you?"

At that, Minato gave him a strange look. "He told me about how you two met and about the ship...but nothing before that." Taking a deep breath, Minato stared straight at Akechi, gaze soft but unrelenting, full silver moons in a bleak sky. “I get it if you don’t want to tell me right now - or ever - but maybe talking about it with someone else will help you figure some things out. It’s not relying on anyone; it’s becoming stronger by allowing yourself to be vulnerable. I...I think I learned that at some point.”

And he was _sure_ he had. Because saying those words...it felt so strangely personal, for some reason, and he couldn't think of any other reason as to why except for the fact that it had applied to him at some point in his life. 

"Hm." Akechi just made a little humming noise, almost frowning at the thought. It seemed as though a biting reply was imminent, but instead, he just shrugged curtly. "Maybe later. But not now." _Probably never_ , Minato's mind supplied ever-so helpfully. But it wasn't an outright rejection, and Akechi didn't seem like the kind of person to dance around the subject like that.

Minato just nodded, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. "I'll hold you to that." He replied easily, and when Akechi's gaze snapped up in alarm, he allowed himself to smirk just the tiniest bit to make it clear that he was joking. 

Akechi rolled his eyes, an exasperated huff leaving his body. "Honestly...you're terrible."

* * *

Goro's interest was officially piqued. 

At first, he'd mainly been doing this for the information on Personas, but now, he was actually invested. The mystery known as Minato Arisato was one he desperately wanted to solve, especially now that he knew that Arisato was not just another person. The way he'd spoken about letting others in and sorting his feelings out made it clear that he _had_ to have gone through something. Even if Arisato may not remember what exactly it was, Goro knew that tone in his voice. He'd heard it enough times from Kurusu when he talked about adults and their injustices. It was a tone of voice that spoke of personal experience, of change.

He wanted to know what had changed about Arisato.

Well, now that he thought about it, it wasn't entirely impossible for him to learn more. When he'd done a little bit of research into what had changed about Maruki's reality, he was still the revered Detective Prince; his crimes had simply ceased to exist. That meant that he had a pretty high likelihood of being able to reach out to one of the people who'd known Arisato's name: Mitsuru Kirijo and Yukari Takeba. The former was, of course, the head of the prestigious Kirijo Group; she'd most likely be too busy to speak with him. But the latter...

Picking his phone up, he dialed the number of Takeba's agency, waiting patiently for the line to be picked up. It didn't take too much time; after only a few rings, Goro was greeted with a calm, impersonal greeting. "Hello, this is Yukari Takeba's secretary. To whom am I speaking?"

Goro took a deep breath, pulling the facade that he'd thought he'd abandoned over himself once again. "Hello, my name is Goro Akechi. I'd like to speak with Yukari Takeba; it's for something I'm investigating."

Judging by the silence on the other end of the phone, Goro could figure that the receptionist was...well, surprised, to say the least. But she recovered quickly and, with commendable composure, agreed to speak with Takeba about the call.

It was another couple of hours before he finally - _finally -_ got a call back. "This is Goro Akechi," he said smoothly after picking up, noting the caller ID. "Might this be Yukari Takeba?"

"Yeah," the caller replied, and there was no doubt about it. The hours upon hours of watching Featherman (that Goro would never admit to) made it easy to recognise Takeba's voice. "Mikazuki-san said that you wanted to talk to me about...an investigation?" 

"Yes, but don't worry - you haven't done anything wrong." Goro replied placatingly, smoothly. "It's just a connection that you seem to have. Do you happen to know an individual by the name of Minato Arisato?"

Silence.

Goro was pretty sure he heard Takeba's phone fall onto the floor, if the loud clacking sound was anything to go by. It took a long thirty seconds for Takeba to pick the phone again, and he could still hear how shaky her breathing was when she next spoke.

"That name...how...?"

"You had an interview a couple of years ago." He replied as calmly as possible, although something about her reaction was...well, he had a feeling that Takeba didn't know just any Minato Arisato, although he still had to figure out what the significance was. "In that interview, you mentioned a Minato Arisato."

Takeba was quiet on the other end, but Goro could hear her trying to steady her breathing. At least he didn't have to wait almost half a minute before he got to continue with this line of questioning. "I did," she acknowledged. "But why is that related to your investigation?"

The tightness in her voice made Goro feel tense as well, although he couldn't quite figure out why. But he swallowed down whatever it was that he was feeling, steeling himself. "You see," he began, "I've run into a person. He calls himself Minato Arisato and has amnesia. However..." Goro had to stop and cough before continuing. "He seems to remember living with you, as well as Mitsuru Kirijo."

A strangled gasp. Takeba's voice was very, very wobbly when she spoke. "That...that's not possible." She whispered, sniffling, and Goro scrunched his nose at the thought of anyone all snotty-faced on the phone. However, he had to remain pleasant, and so he kept up his Detective Prince self.

He made sure to stay as gentle as possible, at least wanting to be able to understand Takeba when she did answer his next question: "Why is that?"

And understand them he did. While shaky and choked, her words were unmistakable.

"Because...because he's _dead_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to me, it seems like confidants started off as the whole deal bit, but somewhere along the way, that winds up forgotten and turns into just the protagonist and his confidant just getting closer. im pretty sure that's how things are supposed to feel, given that it's a constant thing over literally all of them, so i decided to do something similar here. im not sure if its too early, but uhhh...aha oOp
> 
> also if u have magireco tell me and we can be friendsssss
> 
> ALSO im not actually sure if goro is still the detective prince in marukis universe??? i havent seen that part of p5r in like a million years, so...aha o o p

**Author's Note:**

> ok ok so hear me out here
> 
> if maruki is truly creating a world without pain and suffering, there would probably be a LOT of people who do not wish for death. and if nyx was called to the earth due to people wanting to die, it stands to reason that the seal would be unnecessary in his dream world, thus releasing minato into the world.
> 
> this was a shower thought


End file.
